BASAF Home

Thanks for visiting the BASAF website!  We hope you find it informative.  Be sure to check out our Film called “Make A Difference,” which explores the challenges local students face with funding post-secondary education.  We hope you will be inspired to support Brunswick Area Student Aid Fund!

Donate Using Paypal: Click the link below to donate now via Paypal. (While we appreciate all donations of any amount in any manner, we urge you to consider writing a check for donations in excess of $250 in light of fees imposed by Paypal).

Neither of my parents had graduated from high school, much less college, so it was the Brunswick Area Student Aid Fund, along with a lot of hard work, that allowed me to go to the University of Maine which then led to a legal career, ten years as Maine Attorney General and a position now as a teacher at both Columbia and Harvard Law Schools.  BASAF changed my life and it will change the life of others.  It is the key to a better life for generations yet to come.

— James Tierney, Brunswick High Class of 1965

Mario Tonon, who was the Principal, finally got through to me the importance of a college degree, and I wanted to coach so trying to get qualified to go to the University of Maine was very paramount in my mind.  The only problem was, ‘How was I going to pay to go?’  I’d lost my Dad early on, so there wasn’t any money in the piggy bank to help me go to school.  Had it not been for the Brunswick Area Student Aid Fund, I’m not sure that I would have been able to go.

—  Carl “Stump” Merrill, Brunswick High Class of 1962; New York Yankees Manager (1990 – 1991)

Although we’re increasing the number of dollars that we are handing out, the value of those dollars in the hands of students hasn’t increased at all.  In fact, it’s gone backwards.

—  John F. Loyd, BASAF Board Member 1982 – present

Since 1954, our endowment and our awards have increased, but not nearly as fast as the cost of post-secondary education.  Our typical award covers only a small fraction of a student’s costs.  We’re proud of the awards we’ve made, but we need to do more to reduce the financial burden of higher education.

—  Make A Difference Film Compilation


In the mid-1950's, Mario Tonon, Principal of Brunswick High School, spearheaded the creation of the Brunswick Area Student Aid Fund. Since then, we've helped over 4,000 local individuals with their post-secondary education costs. Your support of BASAF will help us continue Making Differences in Students' Lives! Thanks for visiting our website!